Showdown
by Doll Girl
Summary: Sort of set in my "Merman" storyline. Kinkaid returns to the island and this time the Dolphin must protect his friends from the evil Shark. Who will win?


AN: Don't own them.

The sound of a boat alerted the castaways to another visitor and they ran to the lagoon. Excitement for a possible rescue fueled them as they ran.

Then Gilligan stopped short when he saw who had come ashore. He went ghost white.

The Skipper growled as he shoved his Little Buddy behind him protectively.

The Howells, Ginger, and Mary Ann surrounded the first mate and glared protectively. Mary Ann hugged Gilligan close to her.

The Professor glared as he stepped forward. "Leave. NOW."

A familiar smirk that when he first arrived hid his evil intent. Now they knew and were prepared to fight and defend their friend. "I see you remember me. It's been awhile Gilligan."

"Don't speak to him!" Roy growled. "You don't deserve to! You're not welcome here!"

"You would give up a possible rescue…"

"You won't rescue us! We know too much Kinkaid!" Mr Howell said clenching his hands.

"You horrid man! We heard you were in a mental institution!" Mrs Howell said angrily.

Kinkaid chuckled darkly. "I was yes but when I was "cured" I was let out. Ramoo had already turned his back on me. He paid the price for that."

Gilligan gulped. "What do you want?"

Kinkaid's rifle gleamed menacingly. "You Gilligan."

"Forget it!" Roy snapped. "To get to him you will have to go through us!"

"Believe me I will. I will kill all of you in front of him before finally allowing him to die."

"No! Kinkaid please!" Gilligan said as he made to move around the Skipper but his friends wouldn't let him.

Kinkaid raised his rifle and aimed at the Professor. The two met eyes.

"WAIT! KINKAID I'LL MAKE A DEAL WITH YOU!"

Kinkaid lowered his rifle with a smirk. "I knew you wouldn't let anything happen to your friends Gilligan."

Skipper grabbed Gilligan's arm. "Gilligan he will kill you!"

Gilligan put a hand over the one desperately clutching his arm. "Not if he can catch me. He failed once. He doesn't scare me this time."

Skipper met his first mate's eyes and was startled at the determination he saw. "Gilligan I'm not going to let you go through another hunt…"

"Skipper…"

"I'm not going to risk losing you."

Gilligan only smiled and squeezed his hand. "You won't." He gently undid Skipper's iron grip and moved the others out of his way as he stepped forward meeting Kinkaid's eyes.

The hunter tilted his head in curiosity. "You grew a backbone."

GIlligan gently but firmly pushed the Professor back to the others as he approached his enemy. "You know what you remind me of Kinkaid?"

"Ok I'll bite. What?"

"A shark. Vicious, cruel, and drawn to the blood of the weak. They do have one weakness."

"What's that?"

Gilligan smirked at him. "A dolphin."

As expected Kinkaid laughed wickedly. Gilligan just stood there waiting for him to stop.

"A dolphin is not a predator. They don't kill," Kinkaid said chuckling.

Gilligan only grinned as he got right in front of him. "Maybe but...dolphin's are the one thing that can drive away a shark. Not alone though of course. They're social creatures. They're gentle and playful, full of mischief and loved by all. In the wild they are the only thing that can drive away a vicious shark." He pointed to Kinkaid. "Shark." He pointed to himself. "Dolphin. Your fight is with me. Leave them alone."

"I'm impressed Gilligan. What is your deal?"

Gilligan kept eye contact. "We go to the other side of the island and we fight. Not with guns but with bayonets."

He raised an eyebrow. "Bayonets?"

"I own one and you can take the one off of your rifle. We fight until only one is left standing," he took a deep breath. "We fight to the death."

Gilligan heard the protests behind him but ignored them. "I'm not going to run. I'm not going to hide. This is your one warning. Leave now and forget about us and this island. We will not tell anyone about what you did to me the last time you were here. You will be a free man." The young sailor never broke eye contact. "I'm not that frightened fawn you chased the first time. I've changed. I'm a fighter. I guarantee that no matter what happens this will be your final hunt. I die my family back there will rip you to shreds. There is no victory. No honor in what you are doing."

"So YOU will kill in cold blood?" Kinkaid asked skeptically.

"Most likely no. I'm sure some accident will happen that will lead to your demise." He smirked. "I have a habit of things happening around me that end up working in my favor." He circled around Kinkaid making the hunter feel unease for probably the first time in his life. "You're nothing but a bully Kinkaid. A coward. I won't kill you but karma more than likely will."

"Where is all this coming from?" Kinkaid wondered.

Gilligan continued to circle him. "After you left I was a wreck for weeks. With the help of my island family I was able to finally have the courage and confidence I lost somewhere along the way. They were there for me and now it's my turn." He stopped and eyed the hunter. "I will not run. I will fight. If I die so be it but I assure you that I will take you with me."

He met Gilligan's eyes again and actually took a step back. His eyes flashed in momentary fear before he straightened. "I accept your deal."

Gilligan held his hand out and Kinkaid glared as he handed over his rifle. He took off the bayonet and gave it back to him. He kept the rifle."Come with us back to camp. I will get mine and then we'll leave. Once we get there we'll fight until one of us is dead."

Kinkaid only nodded as he followed Gilligan ignoring the hateful glares he was getting from the other castaways.

"Don't talk to him," Gilligan instructed his friends. "He's not worth wasted words."

Once back at camp the Professor stopped Gilligan before going into his hut and coming back out with the bayonet that had once belonged to a lost Japanese soldier. He put it in the sailor's hand and held it for a long moment. "Gilligan…"

"I have to do this," Gilligan said.

"May God be with you Little Buddy," came Skipper's worried voice.

Gilligan turned to the captain. "Skipper it's all gonna be ok."

Mary Ann went over and hugged him before meeting his mouth in a kiss. "Don't be too long my sweet Merman."

Gilligan returned the kiss. "I won't Little Fairy."

"Merman? Fairy?" Kinkaid asked confused.

"We believe in you Merman," Ginger said in determination.

Gilligan nodded and took a deep breath before he handed the rifle to the Professor. "He tries anything…"

Roy nodded. "Don't worry."

They watched as Gilligan lead the hunter away.

Kinkaid of course didn't keep his word. He didn't wait until they were even away from camp. He lunged at Gilligan only for the young sailor to turn and block him! Gilligan's ocean blue eyes were stormy as he went from beloved sweet and goofy first mate to a mighty warrior. The two blades clanged together as they fought like they were knights on a battlefield!

At one point Gilligan finally knocked the blade away and put the blade of his own against the hunter's throat just as Kinkaid pulled out a pistol and and shoved it against Gilligan's forehead.

The two locked eyes while the castaways watched in fear not knowing what was going to happen.

"All of you close your eyes," Gilligan commanded.

The women did and hid themselves in the men's embraces while the men refused to look away.

Gilligan thrust the blade into his throat as Kinkaid pulled the trigger. Kinkaid fell barely alive and Gilligan managed to move his head so that the bullet that would have killed him hit his left ear and shot it off! He dropped the bayonet and put his hand over the bloody wound before falling to his knees.

Kinkaid glared as he reached for the gun but Gilligan proved once again how much he'd changed. He grabbed the gun, aimed at Kinkaid, and fired shot after shot until the gun was empty!

The Shark was dead.

The Merman was wounded.

The last thought spurned the castaways to rush over and get him to camp where the Professor tended to the wound. The first thing he did was give Gilligan the sleeping draught so that he wouldn't be awake to feel anything.

Before long a bandage was applied along with a crude antibiotic. The Professor let out a sigh of relief. Gilligan would be ok. He wouldn't be able to hear on that side but he would live and be ok.

He exited the hut and Mary Ann darted inside to be with him. He looked around. "Where's Skipper?"

"Getting rid of Kinkaid," Mr Howell said unfeeling. "I believe he said that he was going to feed the sharks after throwing him off of the cliffs." He softened. "How is our hero?"

"He'll be ok. The ear's gone and he won't be able to hear on that side but he's alive and will remain that way."

"That was incredible," Ginger said. "Who knew he had it in him?"

"I admit I was in shock myself," Roy said as he sat down at the table. "I still am but...that truly was astounding."

Ginger smiled softly. "Our book helped him fight. I think he was channeling the Merman."

Roy looked at her for a long moment before his eyes landed on the Japanese soldier's bayonet. He went over and picked it up. "I don't think we need to worry about him any longer. He's grown up. What happened here stays between the seven of us. No one needs to know." He put it on the table before picking up the rifle. "I'm getting rid of all evidence of Kinkaid."

He marched out and to the lagoon. Could they have used the boat to get home? Sure. Could the rifle be used as a protection? Absolutely.

They wanted to be rescued but as far as they were concerned Kinkaid had attacked them enough. These items were filthy.

Roy shot the motor and watched as very little fuel spilled out. He then pushed the boat out to sea and set it on fire with a match. He then threw the rifle on board and watched it burn.

After a moment he was joined by the Skipper.

"How is he?"

"Can't half hear anymore but he's alive."

Skipper nodded and let out a breath as he recalled the battle. "How much do you think this will affect him?"

"Honestly I'm not sure this time around. I don't think we have to fear him. It was a life or death situation. Kill or be killed."

"He took a life. Granted it was the life of a true monster but still…"

The Professor frowned in thought. "I don't know Skipper. Remember what he said to Kinkaid? How he circled around him? How he made the hunter afraid of HIM?"

The captain winced before frowning in thought. "It was like he became as wild as the animals."

"Maybe he did. He's strong Skipper. Remember what he said." The Professor smiled a bit. "Give him a few days but this time I think he'll be fine."

Skipper nodded and they returned to camp. Gilligan was already awake and talking with Mary Ann.

Roy studied the first mate as the Skipper grilled him on his health and wellbeing. Gilligan seemed alright but if there was one thing the boy was good at it was hiding how he felt behind a smile.

Gilligan only smiled. "Skipper I promise you I'm fine."

"Well...alright Little Buddy but if you need to talk…"

The first mate's eyes softened. "I know Skipper."

The Professor let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Relief filled him.

Their Gilligan would be just fine.


End file.
